Buddy Bell, the team's assistant GM, and farm director Nick Capra let Thompson know where they wanted him, and it makes sense. Thompson has been at different levels with the same players; he knows their tendencies, their personalities, and what their needs are. He also has a firm grasp on what works at each level.

"I'm a little more patient with the players at Kannapolis. There's certain things they need to know, but they still have to be reminded. I know them more personally, too. Whether they need a pat on the back, or, and I hate to say this, a father. Which sometimes you do have to be. But even at the major league level, you have to keep them balanced."

The Carolina League (High-A) in comparison to the South Atlantic League (Low-A) is considerably different, more advanced. While you wouldn't think there'd be much of an adjustment, Thompson has seen firsthand what a big jump it is.

"[Carolina] really is one of the toughest leagues. There's seven teams and they player each other twenty times. So if you're working on something, you can be exposed. Which is good. At the big league level, you get exposed. But it's a tough transition for them."

Thompson is working with a mix of players this Spring Training, some he'll manage once camp breaks, some he won't, but could down the road. But getting to know all of them is important.

"We're teaching the White Sox philosophy. My role is to help manage those guys, even if I don't have them this year, they might be with me later."

He's nothing but happy with his place in the White Sox organization, and sees his relationship continuing with them.

"They've been great to me in good times and bad, on the field and off. If I spend the rest of my days in the White Sox organization, it would be a good stepping stone."

You can read my continued coverage of the Dash, and the rest of the Carolina League, here and for Minor League Ball this season.

February 18, 2014

1. Don't Be A Fan - If you began a fan, you can't continue as one. Don't mistake what that means. In your heart, you can be a fan, and if you aren't something's wrong! Loving the sport you cover, and the stories that unfold, isn't a requirement, but I can't imagine not feeling that way and doing this with my life. And you can be a rabid, foaming fan in your living room or attending a game as a spectator. What I mean by don't be a fan comes down to ethics. You're a professional now, or, if you don't get paid, you've got a responsibility if you've been granted access. Minor league teams tend to be more open to non-accredited blogs, even ones that lean toward fandom. Don't take advantage of that. Conduct yourself as every reporter does in the press box. You don't cheer and you don't seek autographs when you enter the locker room. Even if you have a day job, this is a profession. Respect it.

2. Build Connections- You are your own advocate as a reporter. We chase our contacts, establish trust, and find ways of getting exclusive information. In the minor leagues, this works the same, but if you're an independent blogger, the development of those relationships is even more important. Twitter and Facebook can open those channels even more, but also just increase visibility and familiarity. If a player sees you at the park, covering the game, then you retweet something he's said or tweet/post his numbers from that night, attach his handle. They want to know who they're dealing with. And if they happen to like dealing with you, then they're going to be more open in interviews. If they follow you, you can privately contact them via DM to ask to set up an interview. This helps especially during the off-season. You're creating exclusivity by doing that. And in the digital age, that's gotten tougher to have. A bit of advice: going back to that 'don't be a fan' thing, don't over-socialize with them on Twitter or say something overly-gushy. I avoid birthday wishes, for example. If I know them, maybe I'll send a DM. If not, it doesn't occur to me to do that. If you're tweeting directly to them, keep it fairly cool. No law against fun or friendliness, so don't over-think this one. Just be mindful.

3. Keep Lists - If you're covering the minor leagues, you become aware of how many players are on Twitter. And new players are joining the social media giant everyday. Plus, after the MLB Draft college players quickly change their bio to identify themselves with the team that drafted them. So their presence is always changing and growing. I began a MiLB list a couple of years ago and it grew to 700 accounts, so I added a second which grew to 300. I have a third, which includes around 500 accounts, each one includes players (mostly), teams official accounts, independent team blogs, PR, and beat writers. This is far easier for me to keep track of interesting information, breaking news, and familiarizing with players. This also helps with my annual 'MiLB Twitter Twenty', so if you do any sort of end-of-season awards or best-of list, consider organizing lists centered on that subject.

4. Pay Attention To High School/College Players- Preps are your preparation. Being aware of high school, and college, players on the radar can only enhance your work. When the Draft comes around, if you have a good grasp of a player's progression before he goes professional, that allows you to talk shop with authority. Bonus if you can get to showcases, something I've not managed to do in my career. With so much information available, reading as many reports as you can is a huge asset. Also, connecting with players in high school and college on Twitter can create professional trust, as they begin their careers. I've had almost entirely great experiences with that. The 2013 Draft was a lesson for me, though. Two players that drafted in the first ten rounds had been friendly and open when I covered them throughout their high school/college days. I interviewed them and they were great to me. I consistently mentioned them on 'Follow Friday.' After being drafted, the script changed. One began calling me 'Ms. Quiroli' the week before the draft...he'd never called me that before. He became distinctly cold. He unfollowed me pretty fast. The other was great in giving me a post-draft interview, but quickly unfollowed me thereafter. The guy who called me 'Ms. Quiroli' basked in the national media spotlight and clearly had his course of action set: I was no longer useful. While this wasn't a fun realization, it's only a small part of my experience. Most of the time that early connecting is meaningful; most players don't lose that appreciation and humility from their early days, and generally respect everyone in the media. Try not take too much personally. There's plenty of stories to tell and your focus on high school/college players is important to your ability to tell that story later, if and when they go pro. Also, make sure to follow some college and high school accounts and reporters. If you're focusing on a specific region, know who the college and high school sports writers are. Read their information, and seek your own.

5. Develop Your Niche- In a market increasingly saturated with blogs and opinions, you need to find what you do and know best. If you're just trying to gain experience, covering any minor league team in your area is a great way to develop your skills, professionalism, and collect clips you can present to editors. Having a blog dedicated to one team (Mike Ashmore's 'Thunder Thoughts' is an excellent example), whether you work for a newspaper or publication, or you have an independent blog, fans of the team's parent club are going to read your thoughts. If you have access, even better. Access is key. While the saturation is mostly a good thing for the minor leagues, players are increasingly easier to 'get to' via social media. Having access has always been important to reporters and is far more important today, when they're are a lot of fans creating pathways to players. Reach out to the PR person of a team and see what their thoughts are, and what they expect of you. If they say they're willing to grant you access for a few games, take it. Send a thank you note (e-mail, obviously, not by a man on a horse known as the mail). When you're first in the locker room, follow the lead of the vets. When I first began covering the Thunder, I appreciated the helping hand. Around the third season, a young writer came in hotshotting. I was asked to keep an eye on him and another writer, and offer any guidance I could. But this guy gave me evil eye every time I offered help or asked him how he was faring. He wanted to be a vet before he'd put the time in. Don't do this. Be humble and respect the process, as well as anyone offering to help you, because not everyone will. Understand that valuing the other writers and employees around you creates a positive atmosphere, and in turn, a positive relationship with the team. If the PR person asked me about that writer, I wouldn't have had anything positive to say and that doesn't help someone who, in that case, wasn't working for a newspaper the team relied on, but a website. Bad move on his part. So respect EVERYONE. And respect the team's responsibility to the parent club. Minor league affiliates want to generate more publicity for their team, especially positive attention, but you're also showcasing your worth. Be professional and respectful. Ask questions. Figure some things out on your own. Focusing on one team or league allows you to be an authority on one subject and you want a unique voice in a crowd of thousands of writers, reporters, and bloggers.

Whatever your focus, have one. And do the work to the best of your ability. That's all you have control over. Hopefully these tips help you.

February 03, 2014

I won't forget the first moment I walked into a minor league clubhouse.

The big club's top prospect was there, and he was the ring leader. He made sure to make me as uncomfortable and unwelcome as possible. As did his teammates, relentlessly whistling, commenting, and laughing. I asked every question I wrote on my little notebook, working quickly, efficiently, then practically ran out. (I remember the door knob in my hand, and that it felt like I was in a dream, where the handle wouldn't turn and I would be trapped)

Then someone said I had to go back in, because the coach I was looking for was in there. I had to turn, walk back in, and do the dance all over again. I felt a little stronger, as if an invisible hand was pushing me forward.

Looking back now, I can see I was made of the stuff you needed to walk into those situations. But that took some time. Today, I don't think twice about any of it. I don't get sidetracked or scared, I laugh it off, or, if the big line is crossed, I deal with it in whatever way I need to.

That first day was an early beginning to what would become my niche, and, at that park, home of the Trenton Thunder, I would learn my craft, gain confidence, and grow (with many growing pains) personally and professionally in every way imaginable.

When I returned two years later to actually cover the Thunder, for the newspaper The Trentonian, for a few end-of-season games, that would begin the real development of my own career, style, voice, and true experience.

You learn that Double-A baseball is often closer to the majors than Triple-A. A lot of the top prospects at the Double-A level often pitch or hit their way onto the major league roster, when rosters expand, or a major league player goes on the DL. If they're successful at that level, often times, they're capable of playing in the big leagues. Sometimes, all they need is a quick jump to Triple-A, just to see a little more advanced competition. Other than that, it's a quite advanced level. And a lot of fun to cover. You're also aware that less is tolerated: less professionalism, less errors, less hustle. At that point, if you haven't proven a lot and can't do the right things without being told, you're going to have some trouble.

In short-season Class-A Penn League, most higher expectations are off the table. You see every error you never thought of and many you expect. That's not to say that the standard isn't still high. They're expected to show up and learn everyday, but that's just not always the case. Managers and coaches exhibit enormous patience with those guys, most of whom are just coming from college, only weeks earlier. There are always those guys that are even just out of high school. How can you expect them to be top professionals? Sometimes, that takes awhile. The players that moved the fastest through the system, from short to Low/High-A, were clearly on their game early on in NYPL. They stood out early and often. But most struggle with even the most fundamental things. I can remember one manager yelling to the infielders at BP, 'Take it on one hop!" It's that early in the going for them.

That got me thinking about stories:

*One player's father followed the team bus from town to town to keep him out of trouble.

*There were two times someone wouldn't look at me when I was interviewing them. One was a top Yankees prospect. On an unusually reporter-free night, it was just me and one other guy doing post-game interviews. The reporter asked him three questions, then it was my turn. Keep in mind, this was my second year covering that player. As I finished my question, he kept his head down, then turned to the guy reporter and directed his answers, to all of my questions to him. Worse than that was the Penn League manager that refused to look at me in his office during post-game interviews, same situation. Any question the guys asked, he looked at them. Any question I asked, he looked at them. This went on for the entire two years I covered the league. Some people decide you don't deserve their respect even after you've earned it. There's nothing you can do about it and they don't matter. They proved everything about themselves, not me.

*Player-manager issues aren't often reported, and, at that level really shouldn't be. There was a prospect that insisted he was being screwed over by the big club. When I brought that to his manager, I figured he'd give a sympathetic, neutral type comment. Instead he said, 'No one's come looking at him.' Meaning any team interested in trading for him. Oh...well, yes. You have a point.

*Staying on that course, it's rare that a coach will call out one of his players to a reporter, again, at that level. But when I entered the dugout during BP, a coach asked if I was there to talk to a certain player, and I happened to be that day. "Well, can you tell him to stop being such a baby out there when he's playing?" I didn't. But since I had permission, I guess it would've been fun to give that one a try.

My Eastern League coverage began just a few months after I'd created the 'High Heels On The Field' blog, which began as an all baseball sort of project. There wasn't a main focus, though I realized pretty quickly where I was headed and what I loved. By 2010, I had shortened the name to 'Heels On The Field' (due to a cleaner design, though the name remains the same), started a Twitter account in the same name, and announced the 'official' focus of the blog would now be all MiLB. This year, I made 'A Minor League Blog' part of the actual title.

Creating the blog and making it all minor league coverage has been an interesting, sometimes tricky experience. Some people didn't exactly take the blog seriously because of the name. Others found it 'sexy' or 'provocative', which was not my intention. 'Tongue in cheek' 'fun', sure. 'Clever', 'Bold', and just plain old 'rhymey' works too. Plus, I do love heels. I'm a sprite. Now I hear 'Heels' yelled out at games or colleagues just greet me with 'Hey, Heels.' That's my name now, I guess.

But what I intended, and still intend, as I move from the Eastern & Penn Leagues, into Carolina & International Leagues, is that the blog be a unique, trusted, fun, and always interesting place for minor league coverage. The blog isn't about one league, but all of the minor leagues. However, game coverage often focuses on one specific league, and that's just a geographical issue. I do like continuing to cover players at a new level of one team I covered a lot in Penn League, the Hudson Valley Renegades. With the Durham Bulls, my Tampa Bay Rays minor league coverage continues. Similar to how I went from covering the Thunder, to the Staten Island Yankees. I like having that connectedness. And I hope readers who are Rays fans feel a sense of trust in my opinions even more because of that consistency.

As previously noted, there will be new additions this year, including the first ever staff writer/co-editor, Matt Kardos, use of video, and more post-game, real-time highlights from myself and other writers.

The Eastern League and New York Penn League were my classroom. No matter what, I remained, and will continue to be, a student of this craft and of this game.

January 31, 2014

After the 2013 season, Travis Shaw just had to get away from baseball.

The first baseman needed a break, to clear the way for a new start. It didn't take long.

Soon, he realized that the Red Sox still had his back. They sent him to Arizona Fall League, where the competition is solid. You're there because the big club has a lot of faith in you. It was there that he dusted off from the fall and found himself again. His fall league success and how he felt restored his confidence further. Winter brought more reassurance, when he was given a big league invite, making him one of eight the Red Sox extended one to.

Shaw not only got all the boost he needed to continue forward, he'd gained something from the experience. He remembered who he was and how to not loose sight of that.

"My approach has always been to hit the ball the other way. My power numbers were down, so I got pull happy," Shaw said Thursday. "I became a very pitchable hitter."

The Sox selected him in the ninth round of the 2011 MLB Draft out of Kent State, assigning him to the Class-A short season New York Penn League. He played in 57 games, hitting .262 with 37 RBI, 8 home runs, 14 doubles, and 35 walks. He split 2012 between the Carolina and Eastern Leagues, with a combined 133 hits, 44 doubles, and 85 RBI in 130 games. He was the Carolina League All-Star Game MVP, and finished the season named an MiLB.com Organizational All Star. He was also ranked eighth on MLB.com's Top 10 First Baseman Prospects list.

To further understand the Red Sox commitment to Shaw, it's important to note that they drafted him twice. Shaw was Boston's 32nd round pick in 2008, but he opted to attend college and not sign.

"I felt I was physically and mentally ready, but I thought if I went to college and did well, I could be drafted in a higher round. I wanted to have another opportunity. And I was fortunate that the Red Sox drafted me again."

While he seemed to cruise successfully through his first two seasons of pro ball, he found himself facing opponents he wasn't quite ready for in his first full season of Double-A competition.

"The pitching is more consistent. They'll do things in 2-0 3-1 counts that you won't see at the lower levels. You know what to look for there."

The difficult experience brought him back to basics, though. He simplified when he headed to Arizona, returning to the fundamentals.

"The early success there helped me remain calm. That helped me relax. It was big for me [for the Red Sox to send me] there. It helped me prove myself. They were still willing to give me plenty of chances to prove that [2013] wasn't who I was."

Shaw call his father, Jeff, a former major league pitcher from 1990-2001, his "mentor", and says that having him in his corner has impact when he's struggling.

"He's been there. So he guides my path to success, because he understands everything I'm going through. If I can mold myself into the kind of player he was, I'll have a lot of success."

With renewed confidence and a chance to show the big club more of what he's made of, he looks ahead to Spring Training with a fire inside.

"My mindset is to make the most of this opportunity. I hope to not go back to Portland. I went to Arizona to get that invite. And now, I want to maybe push [the Red Sox] hand, to give me a chance to at starting the season in Triple-A."

January 06, 2014

Beginning this season, I'll be adding a new component to overall coverage.

In addition to the first ever staff writer (Matt Kardos, who'll cover the Eastern League), there will be nightly post-game updates on two featured teams. 2-5 lines about significant moments from the game; you'll e-mail me the updates with brief video (20-30 seconds). Your name will appear with the blurb, as well as information about you (Twitter, FB, Wherever you regularly write, etc.,). The video is an important aspect of this. Instead of just writing a post-game update, you're adding a visual. So if you apply, know that you need to be comfortable with doing that. If you have no experience with filming prospect video or game highlights, watch some online. It's not that difficult to get the hang of what works.

If you're a team writer, and going to be covering one regular team or league this season, contact me at heelsonthefield11@gmail.com. We'll talk details.

January 03, 2014

When Trenton Thunder manager Tony Franklin strolled into the visiting clubhouse in Harrisburg to find a player a reporter was looking for (ok, me), he was immediately displeased with the behavior of several of his players.

"Put some clothes on," he said lightly, but meaning business. He'd mentioned before that he told them he didn't like them walking around undressed post-game when reporters were filing in. [Note: The Thunder announced yesterday that Franklin will return for his 8th season with the team]

The point wasn't to control the environment or act as a parent, but to set the tone.

Managing in the majors works differently. They're not expected to look out for men in their thirties, who, hopefully, have figured out how to conduct themselves. Not always true, but in the minor leagues a heavy hand is needed more often. The manager has to act as disciplinarian and guide, and yet not create too much pressure for players early in their development. He also has to walk the line. When I interviewed John Kruk a few years back, he said that when he managed a Phillies affiliate, the big club had rules of what he could and couldn't do, who he could play, and when. Comparatively, with all the money involved today, teams are going to keep their million-dollar bonus players on a short leash from afar.

There were bigger things going on that day in Harrisburg. Bryce Harper was still riding the bus, preparing for the call to the majors everyone knew was just around the corner. The Nationals were watching his every move and that included how he was made available to the media. Mostly, he wasn't. The rule was specific. "Unless he does something to impact the game," Senators Media Relations Director Terry Byrom explained, "no one can talk to him."

Harper had been under a hot spotlight for years. He was no stranger to the special treatment and the attention, but he didn't carry himself differently than any other player. His manager at the time, Tony Beasley, was baffled by the negative attitude people had toward Harper. He didn't understand why people came just to boo. Beasley was in a unique position to gently guide the top prospect in baseball, already famous for controversy, while keeping his team focused. If the attention on Harper was a distraction, Beasley didn't speak of it. Instead he acknowledged how it actually benefited the other players, because more people would see them as well. Beasley led the way beautifully through what was the biggest media storm the minor leagues had likely ever seen (though I hear that Michael Jordan thing was pretty wild). [Note: Beasley will not return to manage the Triple-A Nationals affiliate in Syracuse, but instead fill the role of minor league field coordinator]

Minor league managers are guys players can't argue with because they've been there. Some haven't been to the majors (neither Beasley or Franklin had), but that's unimportant. They've been where they are at that moment. Toiling, scrapping, scraping, learning how to play everyday and be important to the parent club, or any parent club that'll have them and offer them an opportunity someday.

Some managers are career minor-leaguers, never having gotten a real shot, or any shot, to play in the majors. Franklin and Beasley understand that lot, as does Staten Island Yankees manager Justin Pope. Pope had been a player under Franklin's watch, then a coach, and even sat in the manager's chair when Franklin was out ill. For two seasons, he's managed the Class-A (short) Yankees affiliate. Pope, and any manager at that level, is essentially managing a college or high school team, with guys coming straight from the College World Series or skipping collegiate ball altogether.

How do you manage THAT? Pope explained with a memorable quote the first year he managed the team.

"We call this the tell 'em twice league," he said with a laugh.

Players need guidance like we all do, no matter how old you get. On the other hand, some guys don't need much. They lock in early and understand what they need to do. But as the attention on prospects gets bigger, along with the bonuses, the development process becomes less cloaked in mystery with even the lowest draft picks no longer under the radar (social media has practically erased that), and it's even more of a pressure cooker.

Minor league managers understand their players beyond what they remember, but in how they're trying to finally get to the big leagues themselves.

December 17, 2013

The MLB Draft is long past being the only way into professional baseball, even as the Draft gets bigger and more money is involved.

For guys like catcher Jeremy Dowdy, a team taking a chance and signing him as a free agent was the way in. Dowdy proved plenty playing for Appalachian State University, where he was a highly productive contributor at the plate and behind it. He enjoyed his best season in 2010, splitting time as a DH in 57 game with 75 hits (2nd on team) and 24 multi-hit games (also 2nd). Defensively he made just three errors in 277 opportunities. He battled injury in 2011, but started 54 of 60 games and finished with a .625 BA with RISP and had a 27.7 percent success rate throwing out base runners (third best in the Southern Conference). He struggled at the plate toward the end of the season, but continued to contribute scoring two runs in the SoConn tourney win over UNC Greensboro.

When he didn't hear his name called in the draft, he focused less on frustration and more on options.

"You can choose to look at the negative, or choose to approach it with a sense of urgency," he said Tuesday. "That's the approach I took. I used it as motivation, once the White Sox signed me."

He saw time in the Appalachian League and Carolina League in 2012, playing in eighteen games and hitting .295 in forty-four at bats.

In 2013 he level jumped a little, even getting a brief end-of-season taste of Triple-A Charlotte. He spent most of his time with Kanapolis, getting in thirty-one games. His numbers weren't the best, but he took that in stride. He knows exactly what he needs to do heading into Spring Training and the 2014 season.

"I definitely need to work on being the same guy everyday. In the minors, you're playing 140 games and you can't get too high or low. I've gotten better at that, but I can definitely improve. It's about my mental approach and perfecting it."

Dowdy was raised in baseball-heavy North Carolina (he was born in Raleigh), surrounded by solid college programs, not to mention minor league teams whose stadiums he's now played in.

"It's pretty cool to have grown up going to [Carolina] Mudcats and Winston-Salem [Dash] games, and to now have been in them as a player."

Despite only being with the Charlotte Knights a few games, and playing in one, he witnessed the possibilities.

"It was awesome. The game is faster at that level, and a lot of the guys are older. But they talked to me and let me know I could do it. That helped me a lot. Being there you want to get back, so that gives you extra motivation."

The chance the White Sox gave him post-draft disappointment is also on his mind. That has already motivated his intentions and actions.

"You do have to show a little more than the average guy drafted. But I pride myself on that. Playing well is a thank you to them, doing well for them is rewarding. It comes down to executing the little things. I think it's the little things that keep you on the field and keep the organization happy with you."

October 30, 2013

Preparation wouldn't apply in the usual way to a game Justin Toole played in late August.

The Cleveland Indians minor leaguer was asked at the start of the season where he could play and he told his manager, Edwin Rodriguez, 'Anywhere'(MiLB.com). That reply wasn't so far from the truth, but aside from the challenge of playing positions he hadn't played in year, or had played very little, he had to prepare in a unique way on August 24th when he'd play all nine positions. He'd pitch in relief, a role that has it's own energy and physical/mental approach, beginning the night in right field, then center, then left field, then infield corners, then up the middle, to behind the plate, and finally, to the mound.

Toole looked at it as a fun experience, something he didn't take completely seriously when he'd first heard it. But after all was said and done (his Mudcats defeated Salem 4-2), he realized something bigger happened. As fun as it was, he'd faced a rare challenge. And it got him to thinking...

Toole, 25, published his book '9 in 9' on the experience, and shared the moment to moment details of the game. But the book (available on Amazon) is more than that. Part autobiography, self-help, inspirational manual, and part in-depth game story, the book offers inside information about the minor leagues and the pursuit of playing professionally.

Here's what Justin Toole told HHOTF about his book, his motivation, and his season overall.

"I'm close with a sports psychologist, and the idea started there. I majored in psychology and always wanted to find a way to share my message. I wanted to write a book, but this was a way to distinguish myself. Then I decided to make each chapter a different life lesson, with each position I played."

"I had about a week and a half's notice for the game. I was told I had to throw two BP's and catch two. Because each position was laid out in advance, there were no lingering questions."

"I hadn't pitched in a couple of years, but thinking like a pitcher helped me behind the plate. Catching went better than I imagined. The inning was actually the quickest of the night. That was the position I was most nervous about coming in, but I was excited for the challenge."

"Playing a game that is such a game of failure, working with [Mental Coach Brian Cain] has helped me keep things in perspective. There's so much more behind the stats. So he's helped me look at life and playing differently, by staying in the present. Take care of today first. That helps me in life as well as on the field."

"I didn't do so well in High-A this season, so when a player got injured and I was moved to Double-A, I took advantage of the opportunity. It was an up and down year, but I proved I could play at different levels. In terms of my confidence, it made a difference. I want to build on that heading into spring training."

"The game was just looked at as a fun team thing, but I didn't expect the attention it got. It blew up into a story. As the night went on, the crowd caught on to what was happening. That built the momentum. It was the loudest crowd. Looking back now, the final moments of the game were like slow motion."

Follow Justin Toole on Twitter @Tooleyj24.

He was a Carolina League Mid-Season All-Star this year, and made the 2013 MiLB Twitter Twenty, which you can find on this blog.